Andrew
Prince Mushawevato
Features and Arts Editor
GIFTED composer and vocalist Tanga Wekwa Sando will celebrate his Golden Jubilee in music this Friday at the Alliance Francaise in Harare.
Veteran music promoter Josh Hozheri of Jazz 105 Promotions is organising the event.
“The concert is happening on December 16 to celebrate Tanga’s 50th anniversary in the music industry. The show will start at 6pm, ending around 11pm, and will be done in two sets. In the first one, he will present golden oldies, then he takes a break before returning for the final set in which he will present hits only. We are closing the year 2022 in style,” said Hozheri.
“As a promoter, I feel it is good to celebrate our legends while they are still alive. We should give them a platform to share their music and experience. We want the young artistes to learn from them and understand what was happening in the past.”
Hozheri said he was motivated to organise the gig due to a rich working history the two share from the days of Jazz 105 and when he used to host jazz festivals.
“We are promising a good show. I’m humbled to be part of this event, working with two legends — a promoter and musician. Being identified to come and put my input to this event is an honour,” said Roy Zuka of Jazz 105 Promotions, and Hozheri’s protégé.
Tanga, real name Ernest Tanga Kambadzo Sando, was born on August 1, 1954 and began his musical journey when he was 17.
He rose to popularity with the hit song “Mahobho” in the mid-90s. Around that time, he also released the timeless Warriors tribute song “Vakomana Vekwedu”.
But his career was to scale greater heights after he unleashed the monster hit “Wake” just after the turn of the new millennium.
The musician grew up in Highfield, Harare.
He is a NAMA winner for best-selling artiste in 2004. Tanga was among the All-Africa KORA Award nominees for Best Southern African Artiste 2005.
The veteran musician has periodically churned out unique and pulsating compositions.
He has a tendency of coming up with something new each time he walks into the recording booth.
The township jazz crooner’s last offering, simply titled “ZAGGA” (2021), sums it all up.
The 12-track album is his 15th studio effort and the title happens to be a new genre he recently created.
The unique sound on the production is derived from mhande, a traditional beat mostly played in Masvingo province and surrounding areas.
But how did the 50-year-old music journey begin?
“Fifty years ago, in 1971, a boy trumpeter, who was a 17-year-old, walked on stage at Hotel Elizabeth, which was then Salisbury, and played a version of ‘Guantanamera’ with Green Jangano’s Harare Mambo
Band.
“I was in my high school uniform (blue shirt and grey trousers) after Green (Jangano) kidnapped me from Highfield Secondary School. From then, it has been a journey of discovery, sharing with people the music that God gave us,” Tanga told The Sunday Mail Society in an interview.
What he experienced then was to define his music career.
The “Wake” hitmaker instantly discovered his love for the “good life” presented by the guitar, drums and microphone industry.
“The highlight of my first professional day, playing and getting paid, at Hotel Elizabeth was the Portuguese chicken, salad and potato that I had. I immediately knew this is the life for me,” he said.
Before becoming a professional, Tanga used to be part of Tsungai Primary School and Salvation Army Church choirs.
“It has been an interesting journey. I was surrounded by music from a very tender age. Besides the choirs, I used to sing and dance at tea parties. The tea parties back then were disguised events. Remember, during that time, beer, especially clear beer, was not allowed, so people used to create events for them to get together and enjoy. I used to dance and get a tickey as payment.”
When he officially joined the Harare Mambo Band, they played at venues like Club Tomorrow (now Archipelago or Archies), which was a club for the elite whites then.
The group also serenaded at Skyline and Mushandirapamwe hotels, among other joints. He later moved on and played with Aces Wild Flower; Unity; Soul and Blues Union; and Octave, which included Louis Mhlanga and Bothwell Nyamhondera.
“When I went into exile through Botswana, I also played with the Gaborone City Orchestra. From there, I went to school in the United States – Indiana University. I then moved to New York and had a band three months after arriving, which was a great accomplishment, I think,” recounted Tanga.
“I then came back to Zimbabwe and at that time, I started releasing all the music that I was composing over the years. Hits like ‘Mahobho’, ‘Vakomana Vekwedu’, ‘Zuze naZuze’, ‘Wake’ and ‘Paidamoyo’ started coming.”
Other tracks that have anchored him as one of the country’s music stars include “Nyenyedzi”, “WekuMbare” and “Mariana”.
Commenting on the celebration, Tanga said: “This is the first of many celebrations because it is a golden jubilee. Hopefully, I will take this to Bulawayo, Mutare, London and many other places.”
Twitter: @princemusha
Online Reporter